Samuel Hirsch between the Particular and the Universal Paradigm: Sociopolitical and Philosophical Evolution of his Weltanschauung

Presentation (2010, October 19)

Measuring the interactions among variables of functions over the unit hypercube

in Torra, Vicenc; Narukawa, Yasuo; Daumas, Marc (Eds.) Modeling Decisions for Artificial Intelligence: Proceedings 7th International Conference, MDAI 2010, Perpignan, France, October 27-29, 2010 (2010, October 19)

By considering a least squares approximation of a given square integrable function $f\colon[0,1]^n\to\R$ by a multilinear polynomial of a specified degree, we define an index which measures the overall ... [more ▼]

By considering a least squares approximation of a given square integrable function $f\colon[0,1]^n\to\R$ by a multilinear polynomial of a specified degree, we define an index which measures the overall interaction among variables of $f$. This definition extends the concept of Banzhaf interaction index introduced in cooperative game theory. Our approach is partly inspired from multilinear regression analysis, where interactions among the independent variables are taken into consideration. We show that this interaction index has appealing properties which naturally generalize the properties of the Banzhaf interaction index. In particular, we interpret this index as an expected value of the difference quotients of $f$ or, under certain natural conditions on $f$, as an expected value of the derivatives of $f$. These interpretations show a strong analogy between the introduced interaction index and the overall importance index defined by Grabisch and Labreuche [7]. Finally, we discuss a few applications of the interaction index. [less ▲]

Peer interactions in the primary classroom

Doctoral thesis (2010)

The present research focuses on peer interactions engaged with the accomplishment of learning activities in the primary classroom. It is driven by the interest and need to understand learning and social ... [more ▼]

The present research focuses on peer interactions engaged with the accomplishment of learning activities in the primary classroom. It is driven by the interest and need to understand learning and social interaction taking place in peer group-s, and how the participants orient to the sequential organization of social interaction. The research draws on audio and video data stemming from the primary classroom in Luxembourg, and aims at 1) describing and analyzing the interactional organization of learning activities, 2) describing and analyzing the resources and methods, i.e. expert-novice-practices mobilized by young learners when orienting to the accomplishment of a learning activity, and 3) describing the opportunities for participation and for learning that may take place when learners orient to the accomplishment of a learning activity in peer interaction. Peer interaction is depicted as one form of a community of practice within which learning is situated and observable as learners in and through the deployment of expert-novice-practices orient to, and adapt to micro-shifts in the participation framework when accomplishing a learning activity. Results point to the fact that not only are expert-novice-practices deployed when young learners work in interaction, but these practices are also found to be inextricably linked to the constitution of expert-novice identities - this again has implications for how the learners orient to the accomplishment of a learning activity. [less ▲]

Internationale Wohnmobilität im ländlichen Saarland

Scientific Conference (2010, October 14)

Collaborative Nonlinear Model-Predictive Motion Planning and Control of Mobile Transport Robots for a Highly Flexible Production System

in ScienceAsia (2010), 36(4), 333-341

This study is based on a new approach for an advanced microproduction system or highly flexible production systems where all necessary production and assembly processes are connected in a very flexible ... [more ▼]

This study is based on a new approach for an advanced microproduction system or highly flexible production systems where all necessary production and assembly processes are connected in a very flexible way using autonomous mobile transport and handling robots. Each robot has to follow its planned paths while avoiding collisions with other robots. In addition, problem-specific constraints for a defined microproduction system, such as limitations of the velocity and accelerations of the robots, have to be fulfilled. This paper focuses on a two-level model predictive optimizing approach. On a global long-term level, simple dynamic models of the robots are used to compute optimal paths under differential constraints where a safety distance between all robots is achieved. Since many uncertainties and unforeseen events could occur, all robots also use a nonlinear model predictive control approach on a local real-time level. This control approach solves the path following and the collision avoidance problems in parallel, while also taking into account differential constraints of the single robots. [less ▲]

Pain modulation induced by Heterotopic Noxious Counter-Stimulation (HNCS) : psychophysiological assessment of adequate stimulation paradigms and sex-related effects

Doctoral thesis (2010)

This work comprises three studies whose main concern was to find a valid tonic pain model able to trigger a genuine diffuse noxious pain inhibition. All studies were performed in healthy, drug-free ... [more ▼]

This work comprises three studies whose main concern was to find a valid tonic pain model able to trigger a genuine diffuse noxious pain inhibition. All studies were performed in healthy, drug-free volunteers and whereas the first two are validation studies, the third is an application study of the previous two. The aim of the first study was to characterize the cold pressor (CPT) and hot water immersion test (HIT) from a physiological and a psychophysical point of view. A second issue was to clarify the origin of potential autonomic responses during both tests; are they related to baroreflex activity or rather a consequence of the pain experience per se? The study was performed in 30 volunteers aged 19-57 (median 24) years, and consisted of a single session including one CPT (4 ± 0.2°C) and one HIT (47 ± 0.5°C) with a cut-off-point of 5 minutes. Participants were randomly assigned to sequence order (the sequence of both trials was alternated) and groups were paralleled with respect to gender. Cardiovascular, respiratory and electrodermal activities as well as subjective pain intensity were continuously monitored. Pain detection and tolerance thresholds as well as pain unpleasantness and nervous tension were assessed additionally. Both tests were found to be comparable with respect to intensity of subjective pain and time course, but a significantly higher blood pressure increase during CPT could be observed, compared to the HIT. In conclusion, the HIT appears to be less confounded with baroreflex activity and hence seems to be a more adequate tonic pain model. The second study tested the internal validity of inter-digital web pinching (IWP) with regard to its potential as DNIC-trigger. 24 gender-matched participants, aged 21-54 (median 25) years, volunteered for the controlled study. The protocol included the assessment of thermal and mechanical perceptual wind-up (WU) before and after a HIT (47.5 °C) or an IWP (15 N) of 2 minutes duration each. WU pain was induced by 10 repetitive (1 Hz) contact heat (max. 49°C; 5 5 mm thermode) or 10 ballistic impact stimuli (0.5 g at 9m/s) on the phalanges of the non-dominant hand. Cardiovascular and corrugator muscle activity as well as pain experience were permanently monitored. Both heterotopic noxious counter-stimulation (HNCS) types produced a similar pain experience, but a more pronounced cardiovascular activity was observed for the HIT. Painful water immersion is though accompanied by a stronger baroreceptor activity. WU pain was significantly reduced for both pain modalities, although the inhibition was somewhat stronger for the HIT than the IWP. The IWP, being practically uncontaminated by baroreflex sensitivity (BRS), proved its validity as DNIC-trigger. The third study investigated temporal characteristics of electrically elicited pain and nocifensive RIII-reflex activity in a gender-balanced sample of 28 volunteers aged 21-38 (median 27) years, using IWP as HNCS, a tonic pain model previously validated to be BRS-unrelated. Sex-related differences in the post HNCS time courses of pain perception were identified with women demonstrating a more rapid return to baseline compared to men. Interestingly, an opposite pattern was observed regarding nociceptive reflex activity with a steeper return rate of electromyographic responses in males, whereas those of women remained attenuated over the entire observation period. These findings may reflect a stronger defensive response to pain in women. [less ▲]

Shoppers, Tourists & Socialism: Czechoslovakia, Romania and Yugoslavia (1950s-1980s)

Presentation (2010, October 10)

Itinéraires luxembourgeois et européens.Evolutions et souvenirs: 1945-1985

Book published by GNOSIS - 3th edition. Fully revised and corrected edition (2010)

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The ever incomplete single market: differentiation and the evolving frontier of integration

in Journal of European Public Policy (2010), 17(7), 922-935

Progress in market integration over the past two decades has come at the expense of growing flexibility in the laws that govern the singlemarket (SM) as well as the way that these laws are implemented ... [more ▼]

Progress in market integration over the past two decades has come at the expense of growing flexibility in the laws that govern the singlemarket (SM) as well as the way that these laws are implemented. This differentiated integration comes in four forms: soft; informal; multi-speed; and opt-out differentiation. We examine how the completion of the SM has been held back in the varied implementation of EU competition policy and variation in national corporate law, energy markets, services and taxation. These sectors and issue areas form the frontier in which the main political struggles over the future shape of the SM take place, and in which differentiation is most clearly manifested. The SM notion supposedly entails a concrete set of substantive policy commitments that form the basis of the ‘ever closer union’. However, increasing differentiation undermines the identification of the EU’s core constitutional commitments. [less ▲]

Eco-systems biology: a new frontier in microbiology

Scientific Conference (2010, October)